Opening Ceremonies

The opening ceremonies welcomed over 3,000 people to the highest located ski resort city of Davos for the World Winter Games for the Deaf. Roli Hermann of Schaffhausen, Switzerland was the Master of Ceremonies and he welcomed everyone to the Ice Hockey stadium. The program began with opening remarks from the president of CISS, John Lovett, Gilbert Felli, IOC Vice President, Walter Zaugg, Swiss President of the Sports Association of the Deaf, and the President of the Organizing Committee who is also the Mayor of Davos, Erwin Roffler.

Excitement grew among the audience when a team of drummers announced the presence of each particpating country. Colorful team uniforms and flags dominated the ice hockey stadium while everyone in the stadium cheered on each country and their own home countries. The audience was entertained with short skits about the purpose of getting together at the Games: to cheer on their teams and to meet new friends. We were also entertained by children of Davos with colorful balloons representing the Olympic rings. The opening ceremonies concluded with a skit presented by a group of Swiss deaf actors who presented the audience with a funny skit about the Winter Games.